My guess is that they are doing 2 somewhat contradictory things with that MattyCollector note: 1) They are trying to persuade anyone who is waiting for a future sale on these last JLU 3-packs to reconsider (since there may not be enough left); and 2) Preparing the last JLU 3-Packs for a future sale where they intend to sell off all the remaining customer service JLU stock.

So far none of the other 3-packs have this label. I have no other explanation as for why they are calling this an "older" item considering that it has only been officially available for 32 hours.

EDIT:I forgot to mention that this is the oldest of the previously unreleased JLU 3-packs. The Blue Beetle, translucent Fire, and Booster Gold 3-Pack was shown at SDCC 2010 along with the Golden Age (Jay Garrick Flash, Alan Scott Green Lantern, and GA Hawkman) and Space Pack (Adam Strange, Animal Man, and blue Starman) that we got back in Fall 2011. Maybe that's why it was called an older item? It may lend credence to the thought that these were already produced and sitting in Matty's warehouse when the plug was pulled on JLU at retail stores in April 2011.

Because they are trying to put anything they can to make sure that this pack sells a bit.

I believe that the first 2 packs sold out. Mongul was new & everyone was hyped that we were finally getting these figures. Even though he was the only new figure in the pack, he was a huge figure. Plus the fact he was the first on the unreleased figures to come out. The excitement we all had since this was the first pack of the figures we never thought we get released blinded us from the fact that it was $40 & there was only 1 new figure. It went to almost gone in about a week & then sold out.

I believe the Static pack sold out also. Same thing went to almost gone after a little over a week & then sold out. I remember watching this pack because I was not going to pay the $40 for it. But then it went to almost gone in a week & it did have 3 new figures, so I purchased it. Probably many people felt the sdame way I did.

The third pack with vandal savage I think the novelty wore off of the excitement that we were getting these figures that they weren't going to release. Sales were slow, I think they would be better since their was at least 2 new figures in there. I mean future Superman may not be a new character but he was a brand new sculpt. This pack sat there without being almost gone for weeks. It was about a week before the next pack ( Guy Gardner ) was coming out & it was " sold out " Basically just like in the past, matty pulled the item, marked it sold out so you couldn't combine on shipping with the next pack. Plus to make room in the warehouse so mattel doesn't have to supposedly " rent " that space. I don not believe this pack actually sold out, it never went to almost gone & this is the typical matty move that they have done for years. Only for the figures to be seen again at a later date on sale.

Ok, so here comes the 4th pack. Guy Gardner.... The novelty of " we are getting figures we didn't think we were " is definitely getting old. The $40 price tag with shipping & tax is really starting to feel like we are getting taken advantage of. Plus there is only ONE new figure in the pack which is not even a show character. Both other figures Martian Manhunter & Batman have been released before. That version Batman was a bit tougher to find. But I think most of us can live without a new Batman. Mattel realizes after the last pack didn't sell out that this pack has NO CHANCE. So they throw up " almost gone " the day after the pack goes on sale hoping to get people to panic & impulse buy because they think they are going to miss out. Obviously not enough people cared because that pack sat for weeks at almost gone & once again was just marked " sold out " right before the next pack. Which once again leads me to believe the pack DID NOT sell out & was just pulled like the Vandal pack.

So here we are with the Blue Beetle pack. No matter what mattel tried the other 2 packs did not sell well. This pack is almost the same scenario as the GG pack. One totally non show figure with another rerelease of a character & the remolded fire in clear plastic. Well it technically is not really a new figure just a repaint. A pretty cool repaint none the less, but combined with beetle enough to make people drop $40? Probably not! So the first day sales ( which is when most sales happen ) probably were terrible. So matty is thinking what can we do to get these to sell. I mean we are making money off these but we are greedy & need to make more by selling out. Some marketing genius ( sarcasm ) over there must have thought to come up with that note & put the " almost gone " on it once again. That note wasn't there the first day of sale & it wasn't added until they marked it as almost gone.

Leads me to believe it just seems like another desperate attempt at mattel trying to do anything they can to get these packs to sell better. This is their next futile attempt! I'll say it again, if they wanted them to sell better, they should have included Volcana in one & STAS Aquaman in the other. 2 highly sought after figures that had distribution problems & are bought on the aftermarket for top dollar. The figures were already tooled so there would be no extra costs there. I'm sure they still have the molds. So what would the harm have been? If you give people something good they may actually purchase it. Only the die hard completist collectors or huge fans of those particular characters will pay $40 for one new figure. The economy is still terrible & most people have better things to spend $40 on than one new figure.

For the record. I think the Toyman pack will legitimately sell out. STILL OVERPRICED at $40. But...... 3 all new figures that were on the show & seem to be highly demanded. At least they saved the best for last, so this line can go out with a bang.

My guess is that they are doing 2 somewhat contradictory things with that MattyCollector note: 1) They are trying to persuade anyone who is waiting for a future sale on these last JLU 3-packs to reconsider (since there may not be enough left); and 2) Preparing the last JLU 3-Packs for a future sale where they intend to sell off all the remaining customer service JLU stock.

So far none of the other 3-packs have this label. I have no other explanation as for why they are calling this an "older" item considering that it has only been officially available for 32 hours.

EDIT:I forgot to mention that this is the oldest of the previously unreleased JLU 3-packs. The Blue Beetle, translucent Fire, and Booster Gold 3-Pack was shown at SDCC 2010 along with the Golden Age (Jay Garrick Flash, Alan Scott Green Lantern, and GA Hawkman) and Space Pack (Adam Strange, Animal Man, and blue Starman) that we got back in Fall 2011. Maybe that's why it was called an older item? It may lend credence to the thought that these were already produced and sitting in Matty's warehouse when the plug was pulled on JLU at retail stores in April 2011.

I checked the manufacturing stamp on my Blue Beetle's foot(2192AZ) and it falls in line with those on Vandal Savage(1372AZ) & Guy Gardner(1652AZ.) So I'm inclined to think these were produced in the right order.

My take... I think Mattel wants to pull this item before their Cyberweek Sale (just as they did a couple of years ago with the Kalibak 2-pack); and is trying to pressure fans into making their purchase right away. Seems they would rather sell their extra stock at a discount to Marshalls, Ollie's and BBTS than allow fans to combine shipping on their next week's purchase.

I think some people are putting way too much thought into this. Mattel does not run the MattyCollector site; Digital River does.

Mattel is not using devious marketing strategy to trick people into buying action figures. The JLU sets are very low priority.

I'm guessing that when the levels reach a certain number in the warehouse, someone sends an e-mail to Digital River. When he gets around to it, some bored, low-paid programmer at DR hits a few keystrokes to add the "almost gone" coding. This same worker was probably told to include a notice of low stock on the Blue Beetle pack. Rather than write something new, the worker most likely used some coding that already existed. Then he went back to surfing porn on the Web.

For those who forgot or are unaware, the 3 packs in their current incarnation was what was planned for retail. That means packaging, inserts, blister shapes, etc were already made and tooled. Mattel management specifically didn't allow any additional funding for retooling packaging or blisters, which means that figures like Aquaman or Volcana couldn't be substituted unfortunately. The bids for production was based on the packs already specifically planned. Just because molds are available, there's a lot more that goes in to it than squishing plastic through them. Now we can debate the pricing/overpricing of the packs, but the line up of the packs couldn't be switched to figures some folks may have wanted over others.

For those who forgot or are unaware, the 3 packs in their current incarnation was what was planned for retail. That means packaging, inserts, blister shapes, etc were already made and tooled. Mattel management specifically didn't allow any additional funding for retooling packaging or blisters, which means that figures like Aquaman or Volcana couldn't be substituted unfortunately. The bids for production was based on the packs already specifically planned. Just because molds are available, there's a lot more that goes in to it than squishing plastic through them. Now we can debate the pricing/overpricing of the packs, but the line up of the packs couldn't be switched to figures some folks may have wanted over others.

NO changes/substitutions means just that, right?

You can believe that load of BS mattel spewed out all you want. Your statement above doesn't stand up against mattel's owns actions. Because.....

As I recall the Toyman pack originally had Superman & STAS Aquaman. They substituted Firefly & Dr Destiny in that pack. So they could have very easily pulled another 2 duplicate characters out of the other packs & included Volcana & STAS Aquaman. Especially because STAS Aquaman was supposed to be in that pack to begin with. So his plastic was already supposed " to be squished through a mold " . Why would they substitute one of the figures that everyone is demanding anyway instead of one of the multiple Batman, Martian Manhunter, etc? The only answer I can come up with is, because whoever made that decision at mattel is an idiot!

No, I'm sure Mattel did that just to ensure you couldn't have oune, of course. It's a conspiracy.Seriously, though, back to reality...They couldn't swap out anything on that pack because the contents were already set. Blister vacuformed mold completed, etc. it couldn't change, it had Martian Manhunter & Batman because it was planned that way for retail. Lots of cogs in the machine had gone to far to change. Toyman pack wasn't as set in stone yet.

I still don't see why the STAS Aquaman couldn't fit in the blister spot. Isn't it basically the same size and shape? I mean, I have one already, so I'm not that aggravated, but I find the blister spot excuse strange. The idea that they would have to get permission from DC, which would cost actual money, makes more sense to me.